Born On The Fourth Of July: Motion Picture Soundtrack Album [Soundtrack]

John Williams (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 20, 1989)
• Original Release Date: December 20, 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B000002O6I
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,523 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. A Hard Rain's a Gonna Fall - Edie Brickell/New Bohemians

2. Born On The Bayou - Broken Homes

3. Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

4. American Pie - Don McLean

5. My Girl - Temptations

6. Soldier Boy - Shirelles

7. Venus - Frankie Avalon

8. Moon River - Henry Mancini

9. Prologue - John Williams

10. The Early Days, Massapequa - John Williams

11. The Shooting Of Wilson - John Williams

12. Cua Viet River, Vietnam - John Williams

13. Homecoming - John Williams

14. Born On The Fourth Of July - John Williams

Editorial Reviews

There are 14 songs.1)A hard rain's a gonna fall 4.58 14)Born on the fourth of July 5.44

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Soundtrack To A Vietnam War Epic, May 6, 2005

By 

Erik North (San Gabriel, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Born On The Fourth Of July: Motion Picture Soundtrack Album (Audio CD)

Although it was a very controversial film back in 1989 because of what many saw as its left-wing political approach to Vietnam, director Oliver Stone's BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, based on the true life story of paraplegic Vietnam vet Ron Kovic, vividly captured not only the terrible toll the war took on veterans and American civilians alike, but it also captured the socially turbulent era of the 1960s and early 1970s.

It manages to do so through a soundtrack that includes songs from that era, including Henry Mancini's "Moon River", the Shirelles' "Soldier Boy", Van Morrison's "Brown-Eyed Girl", and Don McLean's 8 1/2-minute epic "American Pie." But even better, it contains a stirring score by the ultimate Hollywood film score composer of our time, John Williams. Though it is sometimes overshadowed by the "hits", Williams' score greatly depicts the stirring patriotism of America in the early 1960s, the terror of war, and Kovic's rebirth from a blind patriot to a man trying to help America purge its soul of its war demons. The composer's wonderful use of the strings recalls Ralph Vaughan-Williams "Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis"; while the stirring main title theme, with an epic trumpet part for Tim Morrison, principal trumpet for Williams' Boston Pops Orchestra, is very Copland-influenced Americana. The closing use of the main theme here is very poignant but also stirringly hopeful.

I agree with a previous reviewer that more of Williams' scoring mastery should have been put on the soundtrack, though that's not to disparage the use of the hits from the period. That one mild flaw aside, however, the BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY soundtrack is a winner.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute stunning musical feast, September 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Born On The Fourth Of July: Motion Picture Soundtrack Album (Audio CD)

From mainstream American classic rock anthems to superb John Williams musical score - really brings the Vietnam saga back into stricking focus. This is definitely my all time favourite rock anthology and the Williams tracks are a 'spine chillingly' awesome bonus.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Soundtrack, January 25, 2011

By 

David A. Smith "Powerful Light2012" (Webberville, Mi, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Born On The Fourth Of July: Motion Picture Soundtrack Album (Audio CD)

this is an awesome soundtrack it is enjoyable and fun to listen to. the best songs on this disc are all of them